Anti-depressent Pristiq and Pregnancy?? Help needed urgently!!

[lissy]

Hey all recently found out that I'm pregnant again and am a little freaked out. I miscarried at the beginning of the year and my doctor put me on Pristiq a few months ago to cope with work stress'. I would assume its the same for most anti-depressents but you aren't supposed to take them while you are pregnant. I've been off mine since saturday now & desperately tried to get into my doctor today as I believe there are some big side effects of going cold turkey of things like this, already feel very vague & off balance.

But when I rang my doctor and asked to speak with her, the receptionist was really rude and told me I needed to make an appointment and she couldn't fit me in till WEDNESDAY, which will mean 5 days cold turkey! What should I do? I was thinking about changing my doc anyway as I'm not really fussed on some advise she's given and there are other doctors in town. Do I ring around and go with whoever can fit me in? Or am I getting worked up over nothing much?

[UntoldAngel]

I'm on that now and breast feeding and there is no issue, and during the pregnancy I was on lexapro. Going cold turkey will have a negative effect in your mood and is not recommended. What dosage were you on? PM me if you want want, I've been on ad's for 6 years so might be able to help with any questions

[Junglemum]

Phone Rodney Whytte on the Monash Medical Centre Drug information Line. 03 95942361 You might not need to stop them.

I just called him from PNG with a qn and he is so lovely and has his finger right on the pulse. Nothing is ever a problem and is only too happy to answer qns.

[lissy]

Belle_S & Junglemum - Thanks heaps for the info.

Junglemum - Thanks heaps!! I rang them straight away and they were sooo helpful and looked into it and said it shouldn't be a problem at this early stage in the pregnancy & the risks were greater to stop cold turkey than to continue them at this stage.

I'm so relieved coz I was already starting to feel like crap after not taking them for the few days.

Slightly angry as well though coz when I tried my doctor this morning to run it by her the receptionist wouldn't let me even speak with my doc & THE RECEPTIONIST advised me to stop taking them untill she could get me an appointment!! Not to mention she was rather rude generally speaking.

[UntoldAngel]

That's why she's a receptionist and not a doctor... (no offence to receptionists)

[lissy]

My thoughts exactly Belle_S. I didn't listen to her but I wonder how many have?

[UntoldAngel]

Yeah you have to wonder why they think they can give advice sometimes... especially when it can make a profound impact on a person's life
Anti-depressants should never be stopped abruptly unless under the strict instruction of a trained professional, and I can testify to that as I have stopped taking them previously and it doesn't end pretty (admittance to the psychiatric hospital). Don't be afraid to question the doctor as well if you don't understand/agree because they too can sometimes get it wrong